Nonpayment of COVID-Related Rent After 3/31/22

The new SF program through sferap.com may be approving rental assistance for rent due after March 2022. Check for updates for eviction protections.

Nonpayment of Rent After March 2020 to March 2022

Assembly Bill 2179 passed so those who applied for rent relief before March 31 will be able to stay in their homes until at least July 1. (Emergency COVID protections are in place until June 30.) However, Assembly Bill 2179 would override the local eviction moratorium.

Rental assistance available even if not connected to COVID (“during… the coronavirus pandemic”) if the rent is owed after March 2020 and before March 2022, and tenancy began before October 2021.

Information from the San Francisco Anti-Displacement Coalition:

Tenants who do not pay 25% by September 30 may need to pay 100% of back rent to avoid eviction but are protected if they qualify for and eventually receive rent relief.

• Beginning Oct 1, landlords may issue a 3-day notice to pay or quit, but it must include language telling tenants about how to apply for rent relief and instructing them to do so within 15 days. 1179.10(a)
• The landlord cannot get a summons without certifying to the court that they applied for rent relief and the application was denied or that they applied for rent relief and that they were not notified that the tenant had applied for relief for the period demanded in the notice. 1179.11(a)
  • Letter template for tenants to inform landlord of their application here.

• Tenants who are eligible for rental assistance should not borrow the 25% from other sources but should wait for their rental assistance to come through.  Although tenants will be on the hook for the full 100%, the state ERA Program will pay the full amount, so it shouldn’t negatively impact tenants who are eligible for rental assistance.

What happens if a tenant cannot pay their full rent starting October 1?

• Recovery Period: Tenants who cannot pay 100% of their rent each month from October 2021-March 2022 may be able to stop or delay an eviction with rental assistance
  • Oct 1 marks the return to a (modified) 3-day pay or quit notice.  Now the notice must include language telling tenants about how to apply for rent relief and encouraging them to do so within 15 days. 1179.10(a)
  • The landlord cannot get a summons without certifying to the court that they applied for rent relief and the application was denied or that they applied for rent relief and that they were not notified that the tenant had applied for relief for the period demanded in the notice. 1179.11(a)
    • Letter template for tenants to inform landlord of their application here
  • Tenants should not borrow money or not pay for other essentials to pay this rent if they are qualified for rent relief and have a pending  application.

Here is a sample letter for tenants to send their landlord to notify them that they applied for rent relief.

Quickly get relevant updates directly to your phone:

• English: text RENT to 1-888-732-3215 (flyer here, web sign-up form here)
• Chinese: text ZUKE to 1-888-732-3215 (flyer here)
• Spanish: text RENTA to 1-888-732-3215 (flyer here, web sign-up form here)
• Filipino: text UPA to 1-888-732-3215 (flyer here)

Previous information on nonpayment of rent recommended procedure.